Convicted murderers former attorney Terence Kindlon leaves the courtroom in the Rensselaer County Courthouse Dec. 8, 2015 in Troy, N.Y. after being grilled by Mosley's new attorney Mitchell Kessler. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

Convicted murderers former attorney Terence Kindlon leaves the courtroom in the Rensselaer County Courthouse Dec. 8, 2015 in Troy, N.Y. after being grilled by Mosley's new attorney Mitchell Kessler. (Skip ... more

Defense attorney Terence Kindlon, left, and his client Michael Mosley stand as Mosley is sentenced in Judge Robert Jacon's courtroom at the Rensselaer County Courthouse on Tuesday morning, July 12, 2011 in Troy. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union archive) less

Defense attorney Terence Kindlon, left, and his client Michael Mosley stand as Mosley is sentenced in Judge Robert Jacon's courtroom at the Rensselaer County Courthouse on Tuesday morning, July 12, 2011 in ... more

The former and present attorneys for convicted double-murderer Michael Mosley locked horns in court Tuesday, with Kessler suggesting Kindlon ignored evidence at trial that could have cleared his client and Kindlon suggesting Kessler uses the tactics of a "jailhouse lawyer."

The courtroom theatrics included snippy exchanges, sarcasm and at least one instance in which Rensselaer County Court Judge Andrew Ceresia had to intervene between the two longtime lawyers.

Kindlon argued that he was not helped by Mosley making what the lawyer called "deceitful and dishonest" statements to police and a story at trial that Kindlon said he believes sounded incredible.

"Michael crucified himself with the stories that he told," Kindlon testified.

Mosley, 45, is serving life in prison without parole for first-degree murder after being convicted in 2011 of the January 2002 stabbings of Samuel "Frost" Holley, 27 and Arica Lynn Schneider, 18, in an apartment on Brunswick Road.

Mosley's convictions were affirmed by the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court which granted him a hearing before Ceresia to determine if he received an effective defense at trial.

On Tuesday, with family members of both Schneider and Mosley in court as well as Kindlon's wife, attorney Laurie Shanks, Kessler grilled Kindlon on his tactics at Mosley's trial.

Before the hearing resumed for the afternoon, Kessler whispered to Mosley's mother, Wilma Mosley: "The best is yet to come."

Kessler questioned the decision by Kindlon, an Albany lawyer of 42 years, to discuss the indictment of Terrence Battiste and Bryan Berry, who were initially charged in the killings, in his opening statement but not direct any blame at the men for the rest of the case.

At the trial, Kindlon told the jury he believed Battiste and Berry could probably have been convicted.

He testified this week that the case against the two men was garbage.

"You told the jury something you did not believe?" Kessler asked.

"I was an advocate for my client, Mr. Kessler!" Kindlon said.

Kindlon testified he believed the mention of Battiste and Berry was a "minor interesting argument to make as a component of my presentation to the jury." The charges against the men were dropped when Mosley's DNA and palm print were found at the murder scene.

Kessler noted that Kindlon ignored an FBI report in which Battiste allegedly asked an agent if he could have been charged with the murders if he was standing outside the crime scene.

And Kessler said Kindlon did not follow up the report of a gun possibly being at the scene.

Kindlon scoffed at the gun reference, noting the case was a stabbing — both victims were stabbed more than 30 times.

Kindlon said the several witnesses who implicated Battiste and Berry were all "jailhouse snitches" who had no credibility.

An incredulous Kindlon expressed frustration with many of Kessler's questions

In response to one question, Kindlon said: "Would you like to know what that means, Mr. Kessler?"

At one point, as Kindlon spoke at length in answer to a question, an exasperated Mosley turned to Kessler and said, "Stop him!"